64 DEER. 
curved claws having transverse furrows on the side, and saw edges, as 
in the case of H. equina. The empodium and other membranous 
structures in the middle of the foot, as the long bristle-like process, 
very much developed. The neuration of the wings in the specimens 
sent, as seen by a one-inch object-glass, is exactly as figured at p. 60, 
and for common purposes may be described as the first longitudinal 
vein being single, and the other (readily observable) longitudinal vein 
being distant from it, and curving outwards at the end to the hinder 
edge of the wing, the two being joined by one transverse vein. The 
wings are very pale, with yellowish veins, and project much beyond 
the body of the fly.* 
As yet, the matter of the females of L. cervi being wingless from 
birth does not appear to be considered as absolutely established; nor 
have I been fortunate enough to see the operation of the males 
shedding their wings, nor to find a description of how it is done. In 
about sixteen specimens or more which I examined, which had been 
put alive into little packets of paper, or into envelopes, I found the 
greater number still had both wings entire, but of the others the 
absence of the wings in almost every instance was caused by one or 
both being very obviously broken or torn off from the piece remaining 
attached to the body at a little distance from it, in a manner that 
might have been done by the claws with their fine apparatus for 
holding ; but as none of the wings broke across in my frequent moving 
of them from one paper to another, it seemed hardly likely that the 
cross-fracture could be accidental. 
In the following pages I give in sequence the very interesting notes 
with which I was favoured by Mr. D. Campbell, from Strathconan 
Forest, Ross-shire, N.B., on the life-history and habits of this fly, 
accompanied later on, about the middle or end of autumn, by a 
good supply of specimens. On March 27th Mr. Campbell wrote as 
follows :— 
‘* Besides warbles, the Red and Roe Deer are much troubled with 
other insects. . . . They are locally called Deer Bugs here. They 
are not unlike the Sheep Spider Fly, perhaps not quite so large, are 
flatter, and dark in colour. They are to be found in hundreds on 
some of the animals, and are able to run in all directions through the 
hair very fast. They cling with great tenacity to the skin, or hair, as 
the case may be, and I have no doubt live by blood-sucking; they 
never fasten to the skin like ticks, but bite like the Sheep Spider Fly. 
* For full technical description of L. cervi, see ‘Fauna Austriaca: die Fliegen 
(Diptera),’ by Dr. J. R. Schiner, vol. ii. pp. 648 and 649. In my own examination, 
as I had not also type specimens of this species for comparison, I was greatly 
obliged to Mr. O. E. Janson, who was good enough to compare my specimens with 
those in the British Museum, and verify them as being certainly L. cervi. 
